


Recognition

by TurtleNovas



Series: Aranlyde/Nasilovat Legacies [5]
Category: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: Gen, OC: Deks Aranlyde, OC: Naitak
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2014-03-30
Packaged: 2018-01-17 13:24:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1389298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurtleNovas/pseuds/TurtleNovas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Deks arrives on Balmorra, and is in for the surprise of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recognition

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Sunset

From the viewport in the orbital station, Balmorra had looked peaceful, almost idyllic. It had that charming, blue-green marble swirl about its surface that always seemed to resonate with him. Somehow, planets like this always looked healthy and alive from space. He knew from experience that this was ridiculous, but it didn't stop him from enjoying the view. He had stood at the window for nearly an hour, waiting for the shuttle to be prepped for departure. Something about this planet, in particular, seemed to hold sway over the tide of his emotions, pulling them to a rise, despite his never having been there before.

He felt excitement itching up his spine subtly, restlessness rippling through him, causing him to fidget. It was putting Bowdaar on edge, and he was briefly grateful that he'd chosen to bring the stoic Wookiee along instead of one of his more talkative crew mates. Bowdaar, at least, would have the decency not to comment on Deks's apparent lack of self-control. He fiddled anxiously with the chain around his neck, wrapping his fingers loosely around the coin. It was warm against his palm, and he found himself smiling as they were called to board the transport.

When they arrived on the surface, the sun was already sinking low on the horizon. He stepped off the transport, into the cooling evening air, and immediately took stock of his surroundings. This was clearly some sort of military outpost. Everyone standing in the open was armed to the teeth, heavy armor reflecting dully in the purple-orange light of dusk. The buildings themselves were heavily fortified bunkers, built into the ground, and layered with shields and heavy metals where they were exposed. He checked his blasters instinctively as Bowdaar growled cautiously behind him. After a moment, they set off the platform, heading down the pathway to largest building.

The air here stank. Of what, Deks couldn't tell, but it reminded him of garbage, and rot, and death. In the distance, there were terrible screeching noises. Machinery, he thought; but the strange, looming mounds that were dotting the fields adjacent to the base made him second guess his assessment. He shuddered, looking over the vast expanse of horizon, uneven, and not quite still. Bugtown, they had called this place. Now he knew why. He sighed inwardly, the nervous energy inside him turning slightly sour. An adventure, this would definitely be, but he found himself wondering if it was the type of adventure he really wanted to be having.

It was as he was thinking this that he saw the Twi'lek flagging them down at the fork up ahead. He paused, then turned to make his way over, Bowdaar following close behind. She was a soldier like the rest, dressed in Republic military armor, and holding a heavy-looking assault blaster. Her face was written deeply with the stress of her job, but she wore it well. She looked fierce. He felt an easy smile break over his face, as he fell once again into his usual role. “What can we do for you?”

“Look,” she said, voice cut on a weary razor and sewn again with determination. “I've heard you were coming, and I know you're not here for this, but we've got a serious problem, and we're not going to have any base left to defend, or any resources left to help the resistance, much less to line your pockets, if we don't get some help solving it.”

Deks felt his stomach turn. “Hey, if there's something I can do to help, let me know. I'm on the Republic's payroll now, and even if I weren't...” He trailed off, making a vague gesture with his hands as Bowdaar gave a wordless grunt of agreement beside him.

She seemed to sag in relief. “Good, good,” she said. “We've got a serious Collicoid infestation, and these bugs are violent, nasty, and hard to kill. We need all the able-bodied fighters we can find to help fight them off. Only problem is, all of our soldiers here are otherwise occupied. I've got a Master Jedi inside already, talking to one of my superiors to try and suss out a plan. I'm guessing they could use your help.”

“A jedi?” Deks felt his heart speed in his chest, that restless excitement from the orbital station returning with a vengeance. Anticipation welled in him, cloying and familiar. He had to fight the urge to fiddle with the coin as the soldier continued,

“Yep. He's not here for that either, but like I said, if we don't solve this one, there's not gonna be any _we_ left.” She shifted on her feet, and nodded towards the main building. “They should be in the meeting room there if you can stop by and offer a hand. We'd all be greatly in your debt, and it will make your actual job here a lot easier, I guarantee it.”

Deks swallowed thickly, nodding. “Sure thing. We're headed over that way anyways.”

She nodded brusquely. “Tell them Sergeant Mannes sent you, and they'll know you're there to help.” Her voice was just a fading distraction as he turned toward the bunker, a feeling of murky focus settling over him.

The halls of the bunker were bustling, soldiers coming to and from duty, making way to their quarters, or to mess, or out into the harsh night. There was a cantina just past the entrance, and the sound of cheerful music and quiet laughter filtered out. It seemed out of place among a sea of faces that were solemn, marked by hopelessness and exhaustion. Even the droids looked tired, under the harsh white lights lining the ceiling.

Deks moved through it all with purpose, reading the fading scrawl on the walls pointing him towards mission headquarters as he went, heart racing ever harder against his chest as they came closer. Bowdaar was moving close behind him, scenting him discreetly, clearly attempting to discover the source of his restlessness. Deks felt a pang of guilt for worrying him, but it was washed away by another fluttering rush of his heart. It was anticipation, but more, it was an overwhelming sense of anxiety. He slowed his pace, trying to force his heart to do the same. He hadn't been this worked up in years, and then it had been for a reason. Now he had only the foreboding sense that something important was waiting for him up ahead.

He sighed.

“Captain, what troubles you?” Bowdaar's growl was quiet, meant only for Deks.

He turned to his friend. “I don't know, big guy. Something about this place just has me bristling. Nothing to worry about, I'm sure, but let's get this over with before I give myself a stroke.”

Bowdaar looked worried. “If you are sure.”

Deks smiled, tried to look reassuring. “Yep. Let's just go find our Jedi and get these buggy bastards out of the way so we can start making the real creds.” Bowdaar nodded, looking unsatisfied, but letting it go nonetheless. Deks was once again grateful that he'd decided to bring the Wookiee on this trip.

The briefing room was large, and seemed to be split into multiple sections, all abuzz with strategic chatter, and suddenly it was apparent why they were needed. From what he could see, each of these teams was occupied with some aspect of the war. Sergeant Mannes certainly hadn't been kidding when she'd said they couldn't spare the soldiers. He scanned the room quickly, looking for someone who could feasibly be a Jedi, but was distracted by a low, angry growl to his left.

Bowdaar stood frozen, hackles raised and eyes hard with anger. Deks followed his gaze to a small station in the back corner of the room. There, crowded around a small holo-map, stood a Trandoshan and two humans. The Trandoshan was huge, towering over its companions, one of whom was clearly a resistance soldier, and the other...

The other was small and pale, with a shock of bright red hair, and a mask of bone covering his eyes. Deks thought his heart might be about to burst from his chest, and really, that was just a completely ridiculous reaction, but he could do nothing to stop it. Beside him Bowdaar growled louder, and seemed to be readying to draw his weapon. Deks took a stuttering breath, unable to look away from the Jedi as he said, “Be calm, buddy. We don't want to cause any ruckus. These people have enough on their plate as it is.”

Bowdaar gave protest, but his words were completely lost to Deks as the Jedi turned his face towards them. Deks's implants went into overdrive, categorizing every detail of the figure, from the bright, red scar arcing over his face, to the heat signatures he was giving off, and the quick uptick in his heart rate as his focus settled on them. Recognition crashed through Deks almost violently, and suddenly, where there had been anxiety, there was only relief.

He'd made it. To Tython, to the Jedi, to safety. Hell, Sergeant Mannes had said _Master Jedi._ His kid (because he still had nothing but that to call him) had fucking made it. Deks couldn't help but smile.

**Author's Note:**

> This one has always felt incomplete to me. Eventually I will probably add a second chapter, continuing from Naitak's point of view, as a way of mirroring the first time they met. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. :P


End file.
